Snapshot Of Industry-Wide Trends In Imports, 1991-2001

In spite of the trade liberalisation efforts that have characterised the 1990s, it is apparent that imports by the manufacturing sector have remained more or less constant in real terms, whereas imports by agricultural industries have witnessed a decline in imports. Declining imports of business services have also been manifest during this time. Using the TIPS South African Standardised Industry Database, the trends in import growth and sectoral shares of imports at a detailed 46-sector level are investigated for both halves of the decade. Monetary values are recorded in 1995 constant prices